Delhi - Metro bridge collapse

ryanindia

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/as...pse/index.html

I am flying out of India today and have to leave a bit earlier due to this. So just wanted to post it so if anybody else is planning on travelling in that area they won't be inconvinienced. didn't see any prior post about it but if it has been posted my apologies.




(Moderator note - moved your post here, and changed the title a little for clarity)

Haylo

Sad news indeed, and totally a unnecessary loss of life.

I'm a bridge engineer myself and shudder every time I pass one of those metro sites in Delhi, the methods of working are questionable to say the least. Same with any construction site really, that's why I've never considered working in Delhi, I've never yet had a serious accident on any of my sites and I don't ever want to.

Health and safety is unfortunately still an alien concept in India, even on those few sites like the Metro where you actually see hard hats.

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MonkeyBoy4u

But hasn't Delhi Metro won many awards because of their working in a very methodical and accident free manner. This spate of recent incidents is going to tarnish their image.

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Haylo

Any safety awards that project has been winning have to be seen in the context of the accepted norm in the country they're working in.

If the sites have been accident free, they've either been freakishly lucky or there has been severe under reporting of incidents.

jituyadav

Haylo. I am always in awe of engineers and can’t get enough of programmes based on engineering marvels right from the start of industrial revolution. As for Delhi metro, I have seen its working and it was the best in India until few years ago. However, after that something went wrong, I could make out but can’t specify what, maybe it was the way the nets were placed, the workers were working, the cranes were being operated and safety measures around the construction area etc. You must be laughing at my childish reasons but that is my observation based on my zero knowledge about engineering..

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shashank.aggarwal

Well, I always thought it was about the standards that are followed internationally. I am not sure what standards are implemented in this case, however and ISO would be an ISO anywhere in the world, Six Sigma means six sigma, irrespective of what others are doing.

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ryanindia

Does anybody know the exact location of the accident?

capt_mahajan

Near Lady Sriram College, the TV said.

Sreedharan, the high profile and well respected head of the Delhi Metro project, has resigned.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus...0907121833.htm

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MonkeyBoy4u

Its on the Central Secretariat to Badarpur line. Incident happened in South Delhi near LSR college somewhere near Zamrudpur.

Digital Drifter

True dat.

But in this case, E Sreedharan was the best the country had and he is still dependant on the onsite construction companies that are building it. In fact, he is disliked by the companies and bureacrats because he does it by his rules.

So far, 2 major accidents.

If these had been by the usual standards of safety that are the norm, it would have been higher, those freak accidents.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._Sreedharan

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Haylo

Very good point, I'm well aware that as soon as you turn your back for a minute, subcontractors start cutting corners.

It's a shame that this has happened on the Delhi Metro, because compared to most building sites I've seen in India, they showed signs of at least making a start to address basic issues. They're the only sites I've seen where hard hats are being worn by workers rather than only the boss in his office!

Long way to go though safety wise, the sites certainly don't meet international standards, I've seen people working at height with no edge protection, unsuitable footwear, items being thrown to someone below instead of lowered safely, the list goes on and on.

This collapse though, was not brought about by minor issues like those, this was a major failure in either the design or implementation of the temporary support system. Hopefully it will be fully investigated, and the other locations using the same system will be closed until the cause has been established.